The Perfect Moment
by ArmedWithMyComputer
Summary: The group are sitting around the campfire, talking about their perfect world. "If you could change things, what would you do? What would you wish for? If you could make your perfect world, just for a moment, what would it be?"


The air around them was cold, and the prospect of a future gloomy, but the campfire flames brought warmth.

Most of the group were already asleep, curled up on blankets, faces pressed into folded up shirts and jackets as if they could will civilisation back to them. But none of them were really that innocent or naive, not any more. Not after everything they'd seen.

It was just Daryl, Rick, Glenn, Beth, and T-Dog still awake, huddled around the dying fire.

They were the usually the ones to stay up the longest, except Beth. She'd originally been asleep, carefully lying next to Carl, but a nightmare had jolted her out of her slumber, mouth open in a silent scream as she sat bolt upright.

Without saying a word to the other men, who could only give her sympathetic looks, she had crept back over to the fire, and sat shakily down beside Daryl. Her knees pulled up into her chest, arms wrapped around them, and face pale, she looked almost pitiful. But she also looked like a survivor, the hardness in her eyes keeping tears from spilling down her cheeks, and the controlled way she chewed at her bottom lip. Beth was strong, and she was a _survivor_. That much she knew.

Conversation had dwindled away, leaving only the silence of the night, and the crackle of the flickering fire.

"If you could change things, what would you do? What would you wish for?" Beth asked quietly, staring into the flames. She glanced up to meet their eyes, and gave a weak smile, "If you could make your perfect world, just for a moment, what would it be?"

There was silence for a few moments after the question, while the four men considered.

Then T-Dog's face split into a wistful grin, and he chuckled, "I'd be in a La-Z-Boy, with a football game on in front of me. There'd be a big bowl of buttery popcorn on the table, and a few beers, and my buddies would be sitting on the couch," He nodded towards the others, "You guys could come too, if you wanted. My nieces and nephews would be playing in the other room, where I could see them, and it'd be a sunny Saturday afternoon. And… oh man… it would be perfect."

They all smiled slightly, as T-Dog leaned back his head to breathe in deeply, and closed his eyes.

Glenn went next, stretching his arms out in front of him, "Mine would be on the farm. With Maggie sitting on the porch beside me. And it would just be quiet. No walker groans, no nosy group members, no interruptions. We'd just talk, and stare out at the fields, and I'd tell her anything she'd want to know. You'd be there, Beth, but in the house maybe, making those cookies Maggie told me you used to bake. And it would be… it would just be quiet."

She smiled sadly, and rested her chin on her knees. "I would be in a café. Jimmy and me used to talk about going into the city one of the days, where there's so many people, and you can get lost in a crowd. We never got a chance to, though. There would be dozens of shopping bags beside me, and an expensive coffee drink on the table, and we'd be up a few stories up, staring down at the people. I would sort through my purchases, and Jimmy would laugh at me. He'd kiss me, and things would be okay."

Beth ran a hand through her hair, and sniffed quietly, thinking of Jimmy. No tears fell, she wouldn't let them, but her heart ached. Daryl nudged her softly, "Sounds nice," He said gruffly, and Beth smiled through her watery eyes.

"Things would be okay."

Then Rick spoke up, looking over at his wife and son, "We'd be having dinner. A family dinner just by ourselves, in our dining room. Lori always was the best cook, used to make Sunday dinners all the time, and she would be smiling at me. Carl would talk about his week in school, and complain about teachers like he used to. We would sit for hours, talking and laughing, and being a real family. Even after we had finished eating, we would stay at the table, being a real family. Like we used to be."

Daryl took longer to come out with his, but no one moved as he flicked pieces of wood into the fire. When he finally did say something, there was a note of something in his voice that none of them had heard before.

"Merle. He used ta bring me inta the woods sometimes, when I was a kid. My Pa wouldn't even notice we were gone, not even when we stayed out fer days, but it used ta be the best days. He would get a tent, probably stole it from some kid, but we'd pitch it, and jus' camp out. Jus' m'brother, an' me, an' the stars. Merle taught me how ta hunt and track on one of those trips. We'd jus'… escape fer a few days, an' I'd be able ta breathe properly."

None of them spoke after their confessions. There was nothing to say.

Eventually, Beth lay back down, in between Daryl and Glenn, and let her eyes slip closed. She dreamed of Jimmy, and their trip into the big city. She dreamed of sipping on her coffee, and laughing at Jimmy's bad jokes. She dreamed of staying in the city until it got dark, and the city lit up with lights. She dreamed of leaning back into Jimmy's arms, and breathing in her earthy smell, and of him holding her back tightly.

Beth dreamed of her perfect moment.

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_I really loved writing this, and I hope you guys have enjoyed reading it. I would love some feedback, if anyone has time to spare :) Also, if anyone has any requests or prompts for one-shots that they'd want me to write, I'd love to hear them!_

_Thanks for reading,_

_ArmedWithMyComputer xx_


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